Resilient body



May 15, 1934- L D. MAHAN 1,959,104

RESILIENT BODY Filed July 1, 1931 ATTO R N EY5 Patented May 15, 1934PATENT OFFICE RESILIENT BODY Leonard D. Mahan, Scarsdale, N. Y.,assigner of one-half to John Consorte, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application July 1, `1931, Serial No. 548,211

17 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in resilient and permeable bodiesand to the process of making the same.

It is a feature of the present invention'that bodies` maybe formed whichare resilient or springy to a degree which is dependent upon thecharacter of materials used and upon the control of their physicalcharacteristicswhich may be effected in the process of manufacture.

It is a furtherfeature of this invention that resilient bodies havingselected degrees of resilience depending upon the selection of,materials initially used and the control of their physicalcharacteristics in the process of manufacture, may be made so that theresilience of the body as a whole will not be diminished or impaired byalternate compression and release of pressure upon the body continuallyrepeated during a prolonged period of time.

It is a further feature of the invention that permeable bodies may. bemade having various desired degrees of hardness or resistance tocompression, wherein the permeability may be 'controlled by variationsin the process of manufacture, by selection of the materials of whichvthe various parts of the body are composed, and by compression of thebody to a greater or less extent during the period when it is requiredto be permeable, but which have sufficient resilience when the pressureis released to permit adequate expansion thereof so that the body may becleaned or otherwise rid of solid or adhering matter Vwhile it is in anexpanded condition.

It is a further feature of this invention that resilient and 4permeablebodies may be formed which are substantially unaffected by oxidation,weak acids or corrosive chemicals and which may therefore be employed invarious uses in the arts where corrosion is detrimental Aand wherefreedom from corrosion combined with a selective degree of permeabilityand a degree of resilience which can be controlled initially and willnot be diminished by long continued alternate compression and release ofthe body, is necessary to'attain commercial utility.

It is a further feature of this invention that a resilient body isformed adapted to be used as a mat or springy pad or Vresilientsupporting member in many fields of commercial use whichv is noticeablymore free than any heretofore known from sharp metallic projections orother abrasive particles or erds which might serve to puncture or injureor destroy softer substances such as cloth, paper or human hands broughtinto moving or stationary contact therewith.

It is a. further feature of this invention that resilient body is formedadapted to be used as a mat or springy pad or resilient supporting mem`ber in manv fields of .commercial use which will not lose its resilienceafter prolonged exposure to alternate compression and release, whichwill not be corroded or otherwise affected by oxidation or by corrosivechemicals, and which combines with these properties freedom from verminand lice to such an extent that the body thus formed has a variety ofelds of usefulness where this property or characteristic is desirable.

It is a further feature of this invention that resilient and cohesivebodies may be formed wherein the parts. will adhere together Without theuse of supporting screens or bags or other brous or metallic, containersby the internal adherence and cohesion of the materials of which thebody is made, and in particular by the interlocking of the spirals orhelices of adjoining segu ments or portions of the material, not onlywithin the interior of the resilient body, but also by the interlockingof helices comprising the surface layers thereof with helices comprisingthe interior portion thereof.

It is a further feature of this invention that a resilient body may beformed having a resilience which will not be lost by alternatecompression and release of pressure continued and repeated through aprolonged period of time, which may be used as a mat or pad or otherresilient or supporting member wherein the material may be so evenlyheld and distributed that variations .in

density or compressibility of the/material may vstrand of material whichmay have substantial or very great length as compared with thedimensions of the resilient and permeable body to be formed is made ofsuitable superposed layers of material as below described. Such strand,made of superposed layers of material, and pre1'- erably consisting of acore of relatively resilient metal and a sheath-coating oi a ductile andcorrosion-resisting metal, is subjected to an operation described belowwhich will cause'the same to form into a multiplicity of successive nespiral helices. The strand is then fed into a suitable container whereitforms into a tangled web or mat wherein the tiny helices are partlyintermeshed with one another to form a cohesive and resilient body whichhas a variety of uses in the arts as set forth below.

I havefound that a pad or resilient body comprising solely thesuccessive helices of one ,or more strands made with a core of resilientmaterial and a sheath-coating of corrosion-resisting material, will tendto form valleys or portions thereof which are of less resistance orresilience and between these valleys lumps or denser portions which areless resilient. I have found, in other words, that it is diilicult tooby with the ngers.

In accordance with the present invention a resilient and permeable bodycomposed of a mass of small spiral helices formed in one or moreresilient strands made as described above, is combined with a surfacelayer of small helices suitably matted together made from one or morestrands of a metal which is corrosion-resisting but maybe less resilientthan the substance comprising the strand used for the spiral heliceswithin the main body of the mat or pad. Thus, the mat or pad, comprisinga mass of interconnected and interlocking spirals, is composed of acentral portion of helices matted together and formed of a strand whichcomprises a resilient core and a corrosion-resisting sheath-coating, andabout this central portion is a layer of interconnected and tangledhelices formed from one or more strands of a material which is uallycorrosion-resisting but may not, and need not, have the resilientqualities of the rstmentioned strand.

- While the invention is of general application in connection withresilient and permeable bodies having many uses in the arts, it will bede scribed lwith particular reference to the formation of a mat or padfor use in automatic laundry chinery.

h the drawing which forms a part of this specication and. whereinlikereference numerals illustrate similar parts,

Fig. 1 shows diagraatically the method of forming helices in the strand.

Fig. 2 shows in perspective a t or pad which F has been cut through toshow a section thereof.

n Upon this section there has been erected, also in perspective, aprojection of the section for the better illustration of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3, 3 of Fig. l when forming helices inthe strand which is to form the central portion 1l of the complete matorpad showninFig.2.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 3, 3 of Fig. 1 when forming helices inthe strand which is to form the surface layer l2 of the complete mat orpad shown in Fig. 2.4

The resilient and permeable body which is shown in Fig. 2 is composed ofa central portion 11 which is composed of a large mass of tiny helicesformed in a continuous ribbon or strand of metal. The characteristics ofthis strandof metal are described below. Upon this central portion oftangled and matted metallic helices,

I place in accordance with my invention a surface layer 12 composed of amass of tiny helices likewise formed in a continuous ribbon or strand ofmetal whose formation and characteristics are set forth below. Thecomposition of the strand whereof the helices in the central portion 11are formed differs from the composition of the strand whereof thehelices in the surface layer l2 are formed, as set forth below.

The strand containing the helices comprising the central portion 1l ofthe mat or pad, is formed of a central core 1 and a 'sheath-coating 2which may be initially formed with a circular cross-section and in anydiameter, or may be initially formed as a flat ribbon having anapproximate rectangular cross-section as shown in Fig. 3. In either caseit may be drawn through diamond dies (not shown) to reduce the diameteror the thickness and to increase the length. If the strand lwasinitially circular in cross-section it may be passed through diamonddies having a rectangular orice, or otherwise reduced to ribbon form.

The strand shown at 3 in Fig. 1 is a strand which is ribbon-shaped, hasa core of resilient material such as steel, and a sheath-coating of acorrosion-resisting metal such as bronze, copper, silver, tin or thelike, and which has a suitable width and thickness. While the thicknessof the ribbon 3 may be varied to a considerable extent, and thereby theresilience and permeabilityof the mat or pad to be formed may becontrolled, I have found that a satisfactory pad for use in automaticlaundry machines can be formed from a ribbon-shaped strand which is0.001 inches in thickness and 0.030 inches in width.

The strand 3 may be delivered under tension from vrollers 4 and 5 torollers 6 and 7. The rollers 6 and 7 are operated, or may be poweractuated, in such a way that the portionof the ribbon which is passingfrom the pairvof rollers 4, 5 to the rollers 6, 'I is held undertension. In contact with said portion of the ribbon is positionedv aknife-edge 8 which is held in pressure contact with the tension-heldstrand 3. The pressure of the knife-edge 8 against the tension-heldstrand 3 may-be a usted, and adjustment of the degree of this pressurewill produce variations in the size and form of the helices produced,and will produce corresponding variations in the resilience andpermeability of the body which it is desired to form. Accordingly, thedegree of such pressure is'subject to variations depending upon thedegree of resilience and permeability which it is desired to produce inthe pad or mat, and must in each case be left'to the selection of theoperation.

After the moving strand has passed between the rollers 6 and 'I it isdischarged at the point 9 where tension upon it is substantiallyrelieved. It is found that, at the point of tension release, the strandwill immediately form itself into a succession of small spiral helices10, some having a length of as much as one-half inch, which may bedropped into a suitable container (not shown) and there becomesuccessively interwoven and intertwined with one another. As the strandis rapidly fed through the rollers 6, 7, a substantialbody of tangledstrand containing a large number of interconnected helices will beformed in the container. 'I'he body of material so formed may be furthermatted or tangled by manual or suitable mechanical manipulation, and inthis way a resilient body of material is formed. The permeabilitythereof depends `upon the diameter of the helices (which in turn iscontrolled by the dimensions of the strand and the pressure of theknife-edge 8 upon the tensioned portion thereof) and the degree ofcompression to which the mat or pad is subjected in actual use. The massof resilient material thus formed, in accordance with this invention,may be used as the inner or central portion 11 of the complete mat orresilient pad or body shown in Fig. 2.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the physicalconditions which produce the helices may be varied within certain limitsto effect controllable variations in the physical characteristics of thehelices thereby produced. The controllable conditions are the dimensionsof the strand, the degree of the pressure of the knife-edge against thetension-held portion of the strand, and the like. These conditions, inaccordance with this invention, are so selected that the' helices whichcomprise the central portion 11 of the complete pad shown in Fig. 2 havea diameter and pitch which will cause them to be adapted to intermeshwith one another, when a mass of them is compressed together withinordinary working limits of pressure, substantially without shearing,fracturing or similar injury to the metal strand. If this condition isobtained, then the inner or central portion 11 of the complete mat orpad will have great resilience and durability, because it will retainits resilience almost indefinitely and because no splinters or sharpends will appear in it in use.

If, however, the helices employed for the inner or central portion 11 ofthe strand are so small that they do not have the property of beingadapted to intermesh with one another, or are of such small diameter andof such pitch that 'they are practically continuous-walled cylinders,then a mass of them does not have to a suilicient degree thoseproperties of resilience and durability which 4 are requisite for theinner'or central portion 11 of the complete pad. As pointed out below,however, such small helices are, according to this invention, peculiarlyadapted to form the outer or surface layer 12 of the complete mat.

If, on the other hand, the helices employed either'in the centralportion l1, or in the surface layer 12, of the complete pad are oflarger diameter (by reason of the dimensions of the strands beingsubstantially larger than those herein disclosed, or for any otherreason) then such helices will not have suilcient strength to withstandcompression, and when a mass of them is compressed together withinordinary working limits of pressure, these helices tend to crush andbecome permanently distorted, and when this occurs the strand tends tofractu-re and shear. Such a result makes these larger helices unsuitedto the central portion 11 of the complete pad because of the progressiveloss of resilience as the helices become permanently distorted; and alsomakes these larger helices unsuited either to the central portion 1l orto the surface layer 12 of the complete pad because the fracturing ofthe strand causes the formation of undesirable splinters and sharp edgesand promotes the for` mation of rust and other deterioration. y

For these reasons, it is intended that the .diameter and pitch of thehelices used in the central portion 11 of the pad shallv diifer from-thediameter and pitch of the helices in the surface layer 12 of the pad,and these differences may be obtained by suitable adjustment of thephysical conditions (as set forth above) under which these helices areproduced. The conditions which I have described in this specificationare those best adapted, so far as I know, to produce the desired result.

Upon this central portion 11, in accordance with this invention, I placea surface layer 12 of matted helices made in a similar manner, butformed of a strand diifering in composition from the strand of which the.helices in the central portion 12 were made. l

The helices which comprise the surface layer 12 of the complete mat orpad,l are formed of a strand shown in cross-section in Fig. 4. Thisstrand comprises a thin narrow ribbon composed entirely of acorrosion-resisting metal such as bronze, copper, silver, tin or thelike which need not be resilient. Such a strand may have the samedimensions as the strand of which the central portion 11 of the matis'formed, but preferably I employ a strand which is somewhat smaller indimensions (i. e., a thickness of about 0.0005 inches and a width ofabout 0.015 inches) and employ a degree of pressure of the knife-edge 8against the tensioned strand which will produce therein helices ofaconsiderably smaller diameter than the helices produced inthe strands4which form the central`portion 11 of the pad. The method of producinghelices in the strand here described is the same as the method ofproducing helices in the strand which forms the core 11 of the completemat, and the description will therefore not be repeated. I prefer,though it is not necessary in the practice of the invention. to

valley in the core 1l to offset the same, and 13@ may be thinned overthose portions thereof where there is a lump or especial densenessthereof.

Because of the smallness of the helices in the surface layer, and theircapacity for packing down and intertwining with one another, arelatively smooth compact surface may be producedover the whole of themat or pad shown in Fig. 2, with practically complete elimination ofloose ends and hanging curls. At thesame time the helices of the surfacelayer 12 appear to intertwine and mesh with the helices of the centralportion ll so that the two layers become firmly united.

Thus, the central portion 11 of the complete pad is made up of a mass ofspiral helices which are made of resilient metal whose surface has beenrendered resistant to corrosion, and which have such diameter and pitchas to be adapted to intermesh together for permanent resilience withoutbeing vso large that they will be crushed and thus destroyed. On theother hand, the surface layer l2 of the pad is composed of a mass ofhelices, which are formed of a metal that is not necessarily resilientbut whose surface is corrosion-resistant and which are preferably formedof smaller wire and have such diameter and pitch' that, while they arerelatively so strong that they will not crush or distort, yet a mass asurface having an appearance like tinfol and a texture which gives anexcellent finish to the goods being ironed or pressed.

In this way I am able to produce amat or pad free from the fragments andsplinters and loose ends which are characteristic of so-called steel woowhich is wholly vermin-proof and is unaffected by oxidizing agents, weakacids, bases and other corrosive chemicals so that when used as theresilient pad in automatic laundry machinery it will not stain dampenedcloth brought into contact therewith. Pads formed in accordance withthis invention have the very great advantage over felt or animal fiberpads, or other pads formed entirely of a non-resilient metal, in thatthe resilience of my mat or pad under long continued successivecompression blows and releases will not be materially affected. It isespecially an advantage of this invention that the resilient body is aclosely knit homogeneous mass without loose ends, splinters or hangingcurls, and that it may be readily formed in pads having uniformresistance to compression characterized by the absence of valleys andlumps.- 'I'he pad or mat will, therefore, be

found to remain homogeneous and integral after long use thereof so thatwhen the cloth or other covers are removed from the pad to be cleaned orreplaced, the pad or mat can be readily handled as a unit and remains incondition to be free handled and immersed in cleaning iluids an thelike.

Used as a coarse nltering medium, a permeable body made in accordancewith my invention, may have a degree of permeability which is dependentupon the diameter of the spiral helices in the central portion ll, andupon the degree of compression to which the entire body is subjected inthe lter. Having substantial resistance to corrosive chemicals in allits parts, it will not be affected or destroyed if the liquid to beltered contains oxidizing agents, weak acids or similar reagents. Havingsubstantial resilience the ltering medium may be held under compressionduring the ltering operation and when released from such compression andpermitted to attain its more expanded form, it may be subjected tocleaning operations for the removal of adhering solids or other matterswhile in its expanded condition. Having coherence-and unity ofstructure, it may be removed from the lter and handled freely during thecleaning operation and will not fall apart nor will portions thereofbecome detached.

I claim:

l. In a laundry pad, in combination, a resilient body member and aresilient layer associated therewith and overlying a portion of saidresil-l lent body member, said layer containing a tangled .mass ofhelical coils formed of corrosion-resistant material, said layer-beingof less resilience than the body member.

2. A laundry pad according to claim l, characterized by the fact thatthe bodymember and said layer are in contact with each other.

3. A laundry pad according to claim l, characterized by the fact thatthe material of which said helical coils are formed is a substantiallycontinuous ribbon.

4. A laundry pad according to claim l, characterized by the fact vthatthe material of which said helical coils are formed a metal which isresistant to corrosion.

5. A laundry pad according to claim 1, characterized -by the fact thatthe pad includes a cloth cover overlying said surface layer and securingthe same to the body member.

v 6. In a laundry pad, a resilient element comprising a tangled mass ofhelical coils formed of a strandv of resilient metal whose surface isresistant to corrosion, the diameter and pitch of said coilsbeing suchthat said tangled mass is adapted tb have and retain a substantialresilience without permanent distortion of said coils when the pad iscompressed within ordinary working limits of pressure, and a. surfacelayer therefor of substantially less resilience than said elementcomprising a second tangled mass of helical coils formed of a strand ofmetal whose surface is resistant to corrosion, the diameter and pitch ofsaid second-mentioned coils being such that saidcoils are adapted towithstand permanent distortion when the pad is compressed with- 'inordinary working limits of pressure.

1. In a laundry pad, a resilient element comprising a tangled mass ofhelical coils formed of a ribbon of resilient metal, the diameter andpitch of said coils being such that said coils are adaptedto intermeshwhen the pad is compressed without substantial to the ribbon, and asurface layer thereon of substantially less resilience than said elementcomprising a second tangled mass of helical coils formed of a ribbon ofmetal, the diameter and pitch of said secondmentioned coils being suchthat said coils are adapted to withstand permanent distortion when thepad is compressed within ordinary working limits of pressure.

8. In a laundry pad, a core of resilient material, and a surface layerof substantially less resilience'comprising a tangled mass of helicalcoils formed of ribbon-shaped metal, the diameter and pitch of saidcoils being such that said `coils are adapted to withstand permanentdistortion when the pad is compressed within ordinary working limits ofpressure.

9. In a laundry pad, a core of resilient material, and a surface layerof material which is substantially less resilient. containing aplurality of helical coils formed of a ribbon-shaped strand of materialwhose surface is corrosion-resistant.

10. A resilient pressure pad comprising a resilient core of tangledhelical coils and a surface layer of tangled helical coils having lessresiliencythan said core, said surface layer being adapted to maintainthe pad in a desired forni and shape and to allow for temporarydistortion of the pad when subjected to wor pressures.

l1. A resilient pressure pad comp a resilient core of tangled helicalcoils and a surface layer of tangled helical coils smaller wm said rstmentioned coils and having less resiliency than the coils of said core,said core and surface layer being sec together through interlocking oftheir coils, said surface layer being adapted to vmthe pad in a desiredform and shape and to allow for temporary distortion of the pad whensubjected to working pressures.

1 2. In a laundry pad, a resilient core, anda gled coiled wire, the wireof said surface layer having across-sectional area substantially lessthan the cross-sectional area of said core wire. 17. A resilientpressure pad comprising a body portion of tangled coils formed ofribbon-shaped wire and an outer layer of tangled coils formed of wire,the width and thickness of said ribbonshaped wire being approximatelytwice the width and thickness of the wire of said outer layer.

LEONARD D. MAHAN.

